Pitchers and Catchers Have Arrived!

Pitchers and Catchers Have Arrived!

By Tamar Chalker

February 12, 2025

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While no official workouts have happened yet, the Yankees training camp welcomed Pitchers and Catchers yesterday. After a long, cold winter, few things excite me more than hearing that - even though I'm due to get more snow and ice and nastiness tomorrow - and this weekend - and probably the week after that...

But I digress! While the Yankees may not have officially hit the field, there are already a few notes from the first day of camp, including some injuries. 

Jake Cousins has been stopped from throwing with a right forearm strain. While the team is encouraged by his prognosis, it is unlikely he will be ready for Opening Day. The reliever should be a big piece of the Yankees' bullpen this year, so hopefully, his recovery goes smoothly and quickly. 

Another pitcher, right-handed prospect Clayton Beeter, is coming off of a "shoulder issue" and has begun throwing some side sessions. Beeter is in the mix to compete for a spot in the bullpen as well.

Speaking of injuries, Aaron Boone indicates that DJ LeMahieu appears to be healthy and looks to compete with Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza as the primary third baseman. I wish I could be as optimistic as Boone is, but LeMahieu was supposed to be healthy again last Spring Training and instead had a truly lackluster season. It has been a few years since LeMahieu has looked like the player he was when he first arrived in the Bronx. If he can stay healthy, that would be a huge benefit for the Yankees, but at this point, I won't hold my breath on that. 

News that is sure to divide Yankees fans is that the team has already had conversations with Aaron Boone about a potential contract extension. If you listen carefully, you may hear my dad screaming at the top of his lungs from Central Vermont. 

The Yankees did add another arm to the bullpen on Tuesday, having claimed LHP Brett Headrick from the Twins. There was some surprise about the move, as the Twins hadn't announced that the pitcher had been taken off the 40-man roster. It appears that he had been moved so the Twins could sign Ty France, and the Yankees front office must have been paying close attention. 

Headrick made his MLB debut in 2023 and made some solid appearances last year after being waylaid with injuries to start the season. Headrick is a big lefty at 6'6 and 235 pounds. He still has some solid potential, so if he can stay healthy, this could prove to be a valuable pick-up by the Yankees. 

Things should only get more exciting from here! Soon enough, the team will be on the field and playing exhibition games and their hunt for #28 will begin again!